Alarm clock controlled switch



Feb. 9, 1932. H. L. ADAMS 1,844,736

ALARM CLOCK CONTROLLED SWITCH Filed-June 5, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l ALARM CLOCK CONTROLLED SWITCH Filed June 5, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 dmmmp Patented Feb. 9, 1932 PATENT OFFICE HARRY L. ADAMS, OF ELVINS, MISSOURI ALARM CLOCK GON'IROLLRD SWITCH Application filed June 5, 1930. Serial No. 459,310.

This invention aims to provide a novel means whereby an electrical circuit may be opened or closed, at the will of an operator,

- t rough the instrumentality of an alarm clock, the mounting of certain parts of the mechanism on the clock being strengthened.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes may be made in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, within the scope of what is claimed, without departing h from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation showing an alarm clock equipped with the device forming the subject matter of this application, the connector being disclosed in section, and parts being broken away; I

Figure 2 is a vfragmental elevation showing certain parts as they will appear after the winding key for the alarm mechanism of the clock has operated;

Figure 3 is a top plan of the clock;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the plug and switch mechanism;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the plug and switch mechanism, the cutting plane being at right angles to the cutting plane of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the base plate that is mounted on the clock.

The numeral 1 marks an alarm clock, including a gong 2. The numeral 3 designates a rotatable member actuated by the alarm mechanism of the clock. Specifically, the rotatablemember 3 is the winding key for I the alarm. The numeral 4 indicates the arbor 150 cause used them is made in the present invention, and it being unnecessary, therefore, to add securing elements for holding in place the structure now to be described.

The securing elements 5 retain a base plate 6 on the gong 2, the base plate 6 having a notch 7 which accommodates the setting arbor 4. The base plate 6 has a socket 8 provided with bayonet slots 9. On the base plate 6 there is an outstanding wing 10 having a cam edge 11. The numeral 12 marks a plug or carrier adapted to be inserted into the socket 8. The plug 12 comprises a shell 14 and an insulating core 15 in the shell 14.

The core 15 of the plug 12 is held in the shell 14 by securing members 16, shown in Figure 4. The outer ends of the securing members 16 form projections, which, when engaged in the bayonet slots 9 of the socket 8, hold the plug 12 in the socket. The core 15 of the plug 12 is provided. intermediate its ends with a cross bore 17. On the outer surface of the core 15 there are longitudinal grooves 18 extending from the cross bore 17 to the outer end of the core.

An L-shaped switch member 19 is secured '7 in one ofthe grooves 18, as shown in Figure 5, and one end of the switch member extends into the cross bore 17. The opposite end of the switch member 19 overlaps the outer end of the core 15. A U-sha-ped switch member 3 21 is provided and is secured in one of the grooves 18 of the core 15 in opposite relation to the switch member 19. The U-shaped switch member 21, at one end, overlaps the outer end of the core 15. At its opposite end, 35 the switch member 21 has a transverse resilient arm 22 disposed in the cross bore 17 and overhanging the inner end of the switch member 19. On the resilient arm 220i the switch member 21 there is a sloping rib 23, the cross section of which is shown in Figure 4.

The numeral 50 designates a slide mounted for right line reciprocation in a transverse guideway 28 formed in the shell 14 and in the core 15 of the plug 12 (compare Figures 4 and 5). T he slide 50 has a circumferential groove 51 formed by oppositely tapered parts 24 and 26 in the slide. One end 25 of the slide 50 constitutes an operating member, and the opposite end 27 of the slide constitutes a resetting member. The-rib 23 on the arm 22 of the switch member 21 is received in the groove41 of the slide 50. The resetting member 27 preferably is somewhat shorter than the operating member 25. The resiliency of the arm 22 of the switch member 21 may be ducting sleeve 32 adapted to be mounted in the usual socket from whichelectricity is derive The sleeve 32 is in electrical contact with a. conducting strip '33 and is in elec- 'trical contact with a conducting strip 34, disposed opposite to each other. The lower end of the strip 33 is joined electrically to a socket 35in the connector 31. V t

There is a socket '45 in the connector 31. An insulating block 39 is disposed at the inner end of the socket 45. An insulating block 38 is disposed at the inner end of the socket 35.

A conducting bridge piece 36 is connected by a screw to the insulating block 39. The screw 40 constitutes a terminal within the socket 35. The'bridge piece 36 is connected bya screw'41 to the insulating block 39. The

screw'41 forms a terminal within the socket The intermediate portion of the bridge piece 36 is connected to a screw 37 which exnector 31.

tends outwardly and forms the central terminal ofthe connector 31. A conductor 42 (Figure '5) is joined tothe switch member 21. The conductor 42 is connected (Figure 1) to the strip 34 which is in electrical contact with the sleeve 32.. A conductor 43 (Figure 5) is'joined'to the switch member 19. The

conductor 43 (Figure 1) is joined electrically 7 to thesocket 45. p

Tl ere are two circuits through the con- One of these circuits is of minor import'ance,having nothing to do with the operation of'the alarm clock. This circuit will be described first, and be dismissed from further consideration. The circuit referred to'embodies thesleeve 32, the strip 33, the socket'35, the lamp or other appliance (not shown) in the socket 35, the screw or terminal 40, the bridge'piece 36, and the screw or terminal 37.

' the arm'22 of the switch member 21, the

switch member 18, the conductor 43, the socket 45 of the connector 31 in Figure 1, the lamp or other appliance (not shown) 'in the socket 45, the terminal 41, and the bridge 36 and the terminal 37.

Referring to Figure 5 of the drawings, it

will be seen that the signal circuit last above described may be normally open, as shown at 44 in Figure 5.

Assuming that the signal circuit is to be closed at the point 44 in Figure 5, the slide 50 of'Figure 4 is pushed tothe right in that figure, until the rib 23 on the switch arm 22 is in the groove 51 of the slide50, the switch arm thus being permitted to swing apart from the bridge member 19, as shown at 44 in Figure 5.

When the alarm clock goes OK, after the predetermined time has been reached, the

winding key 3 rotates until it engages the outer end of the operating member 25 of the slide 50 and pushes the slide to the left in Figure 4. The tapered end 24of the operating'member 25 of the slide 50 shoves down the switch arm 22 on the switch member 19 and closes the signal circuit which has been traced out hereinbefore. When the slide 50 moves to the left in Figure 4, the resetting member 27 of the slide is carried to the left and protrudes far enough to one side of'the plug 12 so that theslide may be pushed to the right in Figure 4, by an operator, the parts being restored to the posit-ions of F igures 4 and 5, and the signal circuit being opened at 44. r V V The device can be usedto open a circuit, as well as to close one. When a circuit is to'be opened, theslide 40 is pushed to the left in Figure 4 until the part 25 of the slide closes the arm 22 against the switch member 19, the part 27 of the slide protruding to the left. The plug 12 is then rotated 180 and put back in the socket 8 with the part 27 of the slideprotruding to the right in Figure 1, and in the path of the winding key 3. The Jart 27 of the slide 50 then becomesthe operating member, and the part 25 becomes the resetting member. When the. alarm goes off, the winding key 3 will move the slide 50, permit the rib 23 to enter the groove 51 of the slide, and open the circuit at 44 in Figure 5.

The wing 10 on the base plate 6, and the cam'edge 11 of the wing have been referred to hereinbefore, and the function'of these parts will now be explained.

When the alrm clock goes off, the winding key 3 turns until it bears against the side of the plug 12,'and the plug 12 thus serves as a stop for the winding key. The windingkey 3 is actauted by a strong spring within the clock, as is well known, and exerts considerable pressure against the plug 12, transversely of the plug. Since there is considerable pressure against the plug 12, in the absence of the wing 10, the right hand end of the base plate 6 of Figure 1 might be bent outwardly, from the gong 2 on which it is mounted,

or the screws 5, which hold the base plate-6 in place, might be pulled out, thereby loosenend in Figure 1 toward and into engagement with the plug 12, the inner edge of the winding key rides along the cam edge 11 of the win 10 and exerts a backward pressure on the ase plate 6, toward the gong 2. The base plate 6, thus, is held against the gong 2by the winding key 3, and the winding key will be inefl'ective to tear the base plate 6 away from the gong 2 due to the pressure of the winding key against the plug 12.

As to the mechanism shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, it will be noted that the time piece has a time-operated member 3, the base plate 6 and parts carried thereby constituting a switch mechanism on the time piece, the switch mechanism including a circuit controller 50 operated by the time-operated member3, the switch mechanism comprising a part 1011 wherewith the time-operated member 3 coacts to hold the switch mechanism against the time piece when the timejoperated member 3 moves to actuate the circuit controller 50.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a device of the class described, a time piece having a time-operated member, and a switch mechanism on the time piece, the switch mechanism including a circuit controller actuated by the time-operated member, the switch mechanism comprising a part wherewith the time-operated member coacts to hold the switch mechanism against the time piece when the time-operated member moves to actuate the circuit controller.

2. In a device of the class described, a time piece having a time-operated member, a switch mechanism mounted on the time piece and actuated by the time-operated member,

- the switch mechanism including a part which forms an abutment for the time-operated member, and means on the switch mechanism wherewith the time-operated member engages to hold the switch mechanisms against the time piece when the time-operated member moves against the abutment-forming part.

3. In a device of the class described, a time piece having a time-operated member, a switch mechanism mounted on the time piece and actuated by the time-operated member, the switch mechanism including a part which forms an abutment for the time-operated member, and a cam on the switch mechanism wherewith the time-operated member engages to hold the switch mechanism against the time-piece when the time-operated mem' ber moves against said abutment-forming part.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature.

HARRY L. ADAMS. 

